Skull of Catholic Saint May Be Exhumed 500 Years Later Under Church Plan
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The skull of St. Thomas More, a prominent Catholic saint beheaded in 1535, may soon be exhumed from its centuries-old resting place at St. Dunstan's Church in Canterbury, England.
Churchwarden Sue Palmer, speaking on behalf of St. Dunstan's Parochial Church Council (PCC), said the church is considering the exhumation as a unique opportunity for ecumenical outreach and cooperation with the Catholic Church, the Catholic News Agency reported.
"It is unusual to have any relics in an Anglican church, especially those of a Catholic saint, and the PCC views this as an opportunity for ecumenical outreach and cooperation," Palmer said.
Why It Matters
The planned exhumation, which would coincide with the 500th anniversary of More's martyrdom, marks a significant moment for both Catholics and Anglicans, reflecting centuries of complex religious history in England. More, recognized as a martyr by the Catholic Church, became a symbol of conscience and steadfast faith.
The proposal to exhume his skull five centuries after his execution is intended to honor his legacy and respond to growing calls for increased accessibility and preservation of the relic.
File photo of a statue of Christ at St. Marienthal Abbey during an open day in Ostritz, Germany, taken in April 2018.
File photo of a statue of Christ at St. Marienthal Abbey during an open day in Ostritz, Germany, taken in April 2018.
AP
What To Know
After King Henry VIII ordered for More to be executed, his head was placed on London Bridge before being retrieved by his daughter, Margaret Roper, and eventually interred in the Roper family vault at St. Dunstan's Church. The church has received visitors and pilgrims for decades who venerate the saint's faith.
On July 6, 2025—the 490th anniversary of More's death—St. Dunstan's Church announced that it was considering exhuming the remains "subject to all the right permissions being granted."
The process would include conservation of the relic, consulting specialists in osteoarchaeology, and consideration of placing the skull in a secure reliquary or shrine above ground in the Roper chapel.
The skull, last documented in 1997, is believed to remain in the vault, although its precise condition is not fully known.
Who Was St. Thomas More?
St. Thomas More (1478–1535) served as Lord Chancellor of England under King Henry VIII. A renowned scholar and author of Utopia, he was executed for refusing to acknowledge Henry VIII as head of the Church of England, remaining steadfast in his Catholic faith.
Canonized by the Vatican in 1935, More is revered as a martyr and the Patron Saint of Statesmen and Politicians. He is celebrated widely for his conscience, courage, and commitment to his principles, famously declaring before his execution: "I die the king's good servant, but God's first."
Who People Are Saying
The parish council said in a statement: "What the PCC has agreed, subject to all the right permissions being granted, is to exhume and conserve what remains of the relic, which will take several years to dry out and stabilize...We could just put it back in the vault, maybe in a reliquary of some kind, or we could place the reliquary in some sort of shrine or carved stone pillar above ground in the Roper chapel, which is what many of our visitors have requested."
St. Dunstan's Church said in a statement: "The 500th anniversary of More's death is going to throw the spotlight on us and our church as a center of worship, pilgrimage, education, and hospitality because the head is the only remaining relic of Thomas More — his body is somewhere in St. Peter ad Vincula in the Tower of London, but it is not possible to determine precisely where, so St. Dunstan's Church is really important and the focus in 10 years' time will very definitely be on us."
"We won't be able to keep him to ourselves — ecumenically and globally we have a responsibility both to the relic and to Christians and scholars throughout the world, and judging by the comments in our visitors' book, having the relic deteriorating in a vault is not good enough for many who venerate Thomas More."
What Happens Next
St. Dunstan's Church intends to consult with specialists, including osteoarchaeologists, and submit a formal application to the appropriate diocesan and commissary authorities.
Final approval is then required from the Commissary General, the equivalent of a diocesan judge. If granted, the conservation and enshrinement process could begin, with the goal to complete preparations in time for the 500th anniversary in 2035.
The church continues to serve as a pilgrimage site, and officials plan to keep the process respectful and collaborative, welcoming input from Catholics, Anglicans, and the international community.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Pregnant Rescue Dog Gives Birth, Moment She Attacks Owner Caught on Camera
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A couple who brought in a pregnant foster dog experienced a brief scare after the mother went after the woman, trying to protect her babies. JJ Knight and his partner, Ella, quickly stepped in to foster a pregnant St. Bernard named Daisy. Her previous owner surrendered her due to being unable to fund her birth. They were told Daisy would give birth in a few weeks, but only four days into fostering, the day arrived. She gave birth at the veterinarian's office after the couple took Daisy there for a health check. They learned she was underweight, low on calcium, and had been overbred; this became her third litter in three years. They transferred her from the vet's office, which was closing, to the emergency vet mid labor, as they did not feel comfortable bringing her back home knowing she still had low calcium. "Once the puppies started feeding on her, they could deplete her calcium levels so much, she could end up having a seizure," Knight told Newsweek via email. Daisy gave birth to nine puppies, and despite the health scare, both momma and her babies all survived. They received the all clear to go home, where the couple had a whelping pen ready for her to use. Screenshots from a July 7 Instagram video of a St. Bernard mother attacking her rescuer while trying to protect her puppies. Screenshots from a July 7 Instagram video of a St. Bernard mother attacking her rescuer while trying to protect her puppies. @thegoldenkobefamily/Instagram While caring for this mother and her pups, Knight and Ella noticed Daisy change, almost giving up on her babies, which the couple thought could be because this was her third litter in three years. She stopped feeding the puppies. She kept leaving the whelping pen. Daisy became protective, but not caring, Knight said. That's when Daisy went after Ella one day when she came in to check on them. Their July 7 Instagram video, posted to the account @thegoldenkobefamily, showed a feeling coming over Daisy as she attacked Ella, barking and snipping. "It was strange because we were with her the whole time during the birth, and helped her, and she was more than happy to be helped," Knight said. "Once she had given birth, she was happy for us to place the puppies on her teat for milk, happy for us to come and feed her." Because the puppies were not getting enough food or stimulation, the couple consulted experts and was advised to separate them from Daisy. They began bottlefeeding all nine puppies every two hours, which they said became the hardest nights of their life. Luckily, the couple received help. Another foster parent took in five of the puppies, with another St. Bernard mom who accepted the new babies as hers. Someone else brought in Daisy and a few other pups. Knight and Ella kept three to hand-feed. And now, all nine puppies and Daisy have been adopted. Looking back on Daisy's moment of attack, Knight said Ella didn't take it to heart. "It was scary at the time, but she was just being a protective mother," Knight said. But this incident led Knight and Ella to be more cautious around Daisy, taking precautionary steps to make sure she didn't feel the need to become protective of her babies around them. Knight said they've received hate on Instagram for the incident, with many comments stating the warning signs were there and they meddled too much. But Knight explained the whole story couldn't be told in a three-minute reel. They shared a longer YouTube video, with the help of their strategist Leroy ter Braak, to explain the situation. "We know we did things wrong, but we got as much help from professionals as we could," Knight said. "And at the end of the day, we managed to save Daisy and help her deliver nine healthy puppies, who all survived, so we were really proud and happy about that."
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
Cat Trying To Blend In With Chickens Has Internet in Stitches
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. In a viral TikTok video, a cat named Jolene can be seen trying her best to fit in with her owners' chickens, and internet users can't cope with the hilarious footage. The clip, shared in June under the username @taylorth0ma, shows the tortoiseshell cat strolling around the neighborhood with four of her owner's farm chickens, moving at their pace and even making similar moves with her body. "Our cat to the chickens after we told them she's not actually one of them..." reads layover text in the clip. The caption says: "I haven't had the heart to tell the cat Jolene that she can't lay eggs..." About 11 million households across America currently keep chickens in their backyards, making them the third-most-popular pets, after dogs and cats. Pet chickens have seen an increase in popularity in the past few years, and according to the Pacific Legal Foundation, that is due to the price of eggs skyrocketing because of recent chicken shortages. Many cities and counties across America may ban or restrict chicken keeping, so before bringing the pet home it's important that you contact your local planning and zoning office to make sure that backyard chickens are actually legal in your area. Chickens are very intelligent birds that can be kept in relatively small spaces, but they are also social, and should not be kept alone. Pet MD advises keeping at least three together. Many breeds of chicken are trainable, and can make excellent pets if socialized properly. These feathery companions should be fed a complete pelleted commercial diet, though they also enjoy the occasional meal worms or chicken scratch. They also eat caterpillars and other insects that feed off flowers and veggies. A stock image shows a cat hanging around with a bunch of chickens in his yard. A stock image shows a cat hanging around with a bunch of chickens in his yard. getty images The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 683,600 views and 137,600 likes. One user, TeraTheTerrible, commented: "They are living in an inclusive world. We need more of that." Lisa Jelikovsky said: "Look how happy she is! Let her believe she is one of them. Especially since they accept her!" StraightOuttaCompton added: "She almost looks like she's walking like the chickens." Newsweek reached out to @taylorth0ma for comment via TikTok comments. We could not verify the details of the case. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Newsweek
6 hours ago
- Newsweek
Woman Lets Husband Check Screen-Time Data—No One Prepared for What He Finds
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A concerned husband has sparked widespread discussion online after revealing that his wife spends up to 10 hours a day on TikTok. Posting under the username u/NeverBled, the Redditor shared screenshots showing his partner's screen time broken down into different apps, including TikTok which ranged from 6 hours and 33 minutes to 9 hours and 57 minutes across five consecutive days. "Last night I got curious and asked my wife to see her screen time since I notice she's on tiktok a lot. "This is what I saw. I kind of laughed when she showed me. I didn't get mad or upset with her—just concerned. A stock image showing a couple lying in bed whilst the man sleeps, the woman scrolls on her phone. A stock image showing a couple lying in bed whilst the man sleeps, the woman scrolls on her phone. Antonio_Diaz/iStock / Getty Images Plus "Is anybody else's spouse, children, or parents spending too much time on tiktok? What did you do to help them?" he wrote in the subreddit What Should I Do, where the post quickly went viral, garnering over 16,000 upvotes. According to data compiled in June by the average TikTok user spends approximately 55 minutes and 48 seconds on the app daily—significantly less than the hours clocked by the Redditor's wife. Yaron Litwin, chief marketing officer at Canopy, a parental control app, told Newsweek excessive screen time can be harmful to romantic relationships. "Excessive screen time can be detrimental to relationships, especially if stemming from addiction to social media platforms which can cause one partner to feel disconnected and lonely, no matter how physically present his or her counterpart is," he said. When asked how couples can navigate this kind of issue without causing conflict, Litwin recommended viewing the problem as a mutual challenge in a screen-dominated world. Rather than assigning blame, partners should consider their own habits, too, adding that it can be a case of "let he (or she) who has not sinned cast the first stone." Litwin also emphasized that there's no strict threshold for what constitutes problematic screen time. The real red flag appears when device use interferes with responsibilities, work, parenting, or intimacy. To set healthy boundaries, he suggested that any limits around phone use should apply equally to both people. Tools like screen time management apps, no-device zones, and screen-free periods during meals or bedtime can help. Dr. Ashwini Nadkarni, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, echoed similar concerns. She told Newsweek: "To approach the issue of screen time in a relationship and set boundaries on usage, it's important to first, develop awareness of whether screen time is becoming a barrier to communication and intimacy." Nadkarni added that excessive screen time can lead to distractibility and interruptions in communication. "At the point at which one partner perceives screen time to be the priority as opposed to the relationship, it defines a red flag," she said. To address the problem, she recommended developing awareness of how screen time may be affecting communication. Partners should express their needs clearly, set specific times for digital engagement, and create designated "tech-free zones" at home to foster deeper connection. Reddit users flooded the thread with their own experiences, reflections, and advice. "Yknow recently, I've started realizing how often I catch myself not even remembering the shorts on youtube I watch," shared one user. "I uninstalled all my apps and got a dumbphone. It runs android 8 so all the messaging apps I need to chat with my friends all work on it. Only browse stuff on the laptop now, and my brain feels less rotted. I'm less anxious and I can actually make progress on my personal projects and sit down & do my hobbies again," suggested another. "The wife and I just decided to do something similar and are setting up the family computer desk just like we had when we grew up and uninstalling all the socials of our phones," another user shared. "I was gonna suggest if you want her with less screen time go out and do stuff together if you have the time," one person wrote. Newsweek reached out to u/NeverBled for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case. Do you have any viral videos or pictures that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@ and they could appear on our site.
